Less than six months after arriving in Chile, Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha already has a league winner’s medal. The former World Cup standout helped Colo Colo claim the 2026 Primera División title, and his late save in the final game has become one of the defining moments of the campaign.
A last-gasp save seals the title
Colo Colo beat Ñublense 2-1 to secure the championship. Vozinha had conceded to Lucas Molina in the first half, but with his side ahead and the trophy within reach, he stretched to his left in the closing moments to keep out the final ball of the match. That stop is likely to be remembered as one of the key plays of the season.
“I came here for this, to win the title,” Vozinha said in an interview with the club’s official broadcaster. “Thank God we achieved it, and I am very happy. I think it is the culmination of everything I have done in my life and my career.”
From World Cup spotlight to title winner
His performances for Cape Verde at the World Cup turned him into a media figure and drew a sharp rise in his social media following. That profile was evident in the excitement that greeted his arrival in Chile and in the attention he attracted at the Ballon d’Or gala in London.
The title also gave Colo Colo its 35th league championship and guaranteed the club a place in the 2027 Copa Libertadores. Arturo Vidal, another high-profile name in the squad, was a central figure in the triumph, and head coach Fernando “Tano” Ortiz also celebrated a title in his first season in charge.
International coverage
News of the success quickly travelled beyond Chile. Spanish daily Marca highlighted the presence of Vozinha and Vidal in the Colo Colo squad, while Mexico’s El Economista ran a headline on the pair leading the club to its 35th title. Argentina’s Olé also noted the achievement, pointing out that the goalkeeper had won his first trophy with the Chilean club just four months after joining.
In Mexico, ESPN highlighted that Vozinha had won the title under Ortiz, a coach well known in Mexican football, while Sports Illustrated and Infobae both praised his decisive intervention at the end of the match. Infobae described his save as spectacular and noted that he had also received individual recognition during a year that has been a memorable one for him.
Source: www.latercera.com
